Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Bishnupuri Silk Saree

Photo Curtsey: Adi Mohini Mohan Kanjilal

Bishnupur, a town in the Bankura of Wes Bengal is
known for its rich silk sarees, that have a soft, smooth texture and drape
beautifully. These light-weights, pure silk sarees come in varieties of colour
with traditional as well as quirky designs and motifs. Apart from Bishnupuri Silk
Sarees, Bankura is famous for its Dokra Art, Terra-Cotta Art and Baluchari
Sarees. Bishnupur is famous for its Terracotta Temples made by local red soils.
The town often called as the “Temple City” of Bengal.

Silk weaving continues to be an important cottage
industry in Bishnupur, and about 15% of its population is employed in the
handloom sector today. But the region is not suitable for silkworm rearing or
mulberry cultivation due to extreme climatic condition. Therefore most of the
raw silk used here comes from neighboring silk producing districts of West Bengal
such as Murshidabad and Malda. In addition to Bishnupuri and Baluchari silk
sarees, block printed, acid printed and batik printed designs are quite common.
These sarees are very light and airy and comes in varieties of colour with
traditional as well as quirky designs. They are soft and easy to drape, also
suitable for both casual and formal wear.